Lovinia



(No Model.) -2 sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. BURBANK. BOOT TREE.

No. 440,788. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.-

2 Sheets- Sheefi 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. BURBANK.

BOOT TREE No. 440,788. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' J OTHAM H. BURBANK, OF NORTH BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS; LOVINIA J. BURBANK (ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID J OTHAM H. BURBANK, DE- CEASED) ASSIGNOR TO OLIVER A. MILLER, OF BROOKTON, MASSACHU- SETTS.

BOOT-TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,788, dated November 18, 1890.

Application filedApril 9, 1836- Serial No. 198,369. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OTHAM H. BURBANK, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Brookfield, in the county of Worcester and .State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feet for Boot-Trees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to split tree-feet.

IO The tree-foot of this invention is divided from its toe to its heel end along a plane lying between the face of its sole and its instep, and vertically from the sole-face to said plane into an upper or body part and an under or sole part, and said parts are provided with means relatively constructed and arranged for either part to be moved independently of and lengthwise on the other, and for the under part to be capable of movement laterally;

or, in other words, transversely to it lengthwise and also to the lengthwise movement of the upper part and otherwise, all in a manner that on a lengthwise movement of either the upper or the under part or both parts on each other in a direction end to end from the heel end toward the toe end of the foot, the under part is moved laterally on the upper part outwardly relative to a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the foot, and thereby it is brought into position in its full width 4o brought into a position in its full width less equal to that of the upper part at said plane of division of the foot into parts, and that on a lengthwise movement of either the upper or the under part or of both parts on each other in a direction end to end from the toe end toward the heel end of the footthe under part is moved laterally on the upper part inwardly relative to a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the foot, and thereby it 1s than that of the upper part at said plane of division of the foot into parts. Furthermore, and which constitutes a special feature in this invention, the under partof the tree-foot is made in two separate and distinct sections having their plane of division perpendicularly, or substantially so, to the plane of division of the foot into upper and under parts, as has been described, and these sections of the under part are together of a less width than the full width of the upper part of the foot at the plane of division of the foot into upper and under parts, and the upper part and said side sections of the under part are provided with means, as hereinafter particularly explained, all so as to securebya lengthwise movement end to end of either the upper or the under part or of both parts on each other, and either toward or away from the toe end of the foot, a movement of each section of the under part laterally on the upper part, either from or toward each other according to the direction of lengthwise movement of the upper part and under parts on each other, as stated, in the one instance, placing the sections of the under part so that their combined width as to the width of the upper part of the foot at the plane of division of the foot into upper or lower parts is equal to and in the otherinstance less than said width of the upper part.

In the drawings, forming part of this specification,is illustrated a split tree-foot of this invention, and in the special form of its construction making, as before stated, a special feature of this invention.

Figure I is a side elevation of the whole foot, and Fig. II is a plan of the sole-face of the under part of the divided foot, and in both views the under part of the foot is shown as at the limit of its outward lateral movement on the upper part. Fig. III is a plan View of the sole-face of the under part of the divided foot and showing the under part as at the limit of its inward lateral movement on the upper part.

The tree-foot otherwise than as to this invention is as ordinary, and it has at its heel or rear an end plate 1 the usual or any other suitable part for its attachment to and detachment from a tree-leg, all as well known. The foot is divided into an upper part 3 for convenience, called the body, shown as whole, and into an under part 2 for convenience, called the sole, and as particularly shown divided into sections placed side by side and both of similar shape and size. The plane of division of the foot into an upper part or body gitudinal plane of the foot.

3 and into an under part or sole 2, as particularly shown, is on line X X, Fig. I, and it extends from the toe end to the heel end between the outer face of the sole 2 and the instep portion of the foot, and it is more or less perpendicular to the heel end and crosses from side to side of the foot. The two sections of the sole 2, placed side by side, are of less width than that of the foot at its plane of division X X into body 3 and sole 2, and this difference of width is represented, Fig. 11, by a central open space which lies between, and has a depth equal to the thickness of the two sections, and is of the shape of an acute angle having its apex toward the toe end, and its base at the heel end of the foot and its sides the. edges of the sole-sections which are toward each other. The outer edge of each section of the sole 2 of the foot is shaped to coincide at all points with the outer edge of the body 3 at the plane X X 'of division of the foot into upper and under parts when the sections are suitably placed therefor on the body 3, as in Fig. II.

8 is a plate near the heel end, and 5 is a plate near the toe end of the foot and both plates from end to end are in the central lon- The plate 8 is held on the face of and is rigidly fixed by screws or other suitable fastening devices to the body 3 and is contiguous to the sole 2; and, again, the plate 8 has two slots 7one on each side of the central longitudinal vertical plane of the foot-and each slot c on-' verges toward the toe of the foot. The plate 5 has a slot 9 lengthwise of it and coincident with the central longitudinal vertical plane of the foot, and a pin 10 is entered by its shank portion through said slot and into and made fast to the body 3. The pin 10 has a head which laps over the plate 5 ateach edge of its slot 9, and all so that the body 3 is movable lengthwise on the plate 5 and the. plate 5 movable lengthwise on the body 3, guided in each instance by the pin 10 of the body, and slot 9 of said plate and otherwise, as will hereinafter appear.

Each section of the sole 2 at its toe end has a pivot-pin 4, by which it is pivoted on plate 5, and these pivot-pins are directly opposite to each other and on opposite sides of the central longitudinal vertical plane of the foot, and otherwise all is such that each section of the sole can swing on the plate 5 for a purpose which hereinafter appears. Again, each section of the sole 2 at its heel end has a pin 6, held on and projecting from the sole into a converging slot 7 of the plate 8, and which is at the same side with it, of the central longitudinalyertical plane of the foot. With the section of the sole 2 opened out from each other, Fig. III, the pin 10 of the body 3 is at the forward or toe end of the slot 9 of plate 5, the pins 6 are at the heel ends of their respective converging slots 7 of plate 8,the sole 2 has the outer edge of each of its sections coincident with the edge of the body 3 at the plane X X of division of the foot into upper and under parts, and the sole 2 of the foot in this positionrelative to the body is of equal width with the body and so used within a boot or shoe of proper size. The foot then fills it suitably for being treed, provided, of course,

that the foot is otherwise held in position by a means of the tree-leg or a block inserted in the boot or shoe at the heel end of the foot, and all as well known. tions of the sole 2 toward each other, Fig. III, the pin 10 of the body is toward the rear end of the slot 9 of plate 5, the pins 6 are at the toe end of their respective converging slots 7 Again, with the secof plate 8, and the outer edge of each section shape or symmetry of the boot or shoe treed thereon. The widening, above explained, of the sole of the foot is secured by moving the body on the sole, or both body and sole, of the foot lengthwise on each other in a direct-ion toward the toe of the foot, and the narrowing, above explained, of the sole of the foot is secured by moving eitherthe bodyor sole, orboth body and sole, of the foot lengthwise on each other in a direction away from the toe of the foot, and in both cases each change in width of the sole is caused by the action of the convergin slots of the body and of the pins on the sole, and otherwise the body and sole are guided by the headed pin 10 of the body and the slot 9 of the plate 5, to which the sole-sections are pivoted,as stated, and on which the sole-sections swing.

In the practical use of the foot of this invention thefoot with its sole narrowed is entered by its toe end into and then pushed forward as a whole toward the toe end of the boot or shoe, resulting as a whole in the filling out of the foot of the boot or shoe, on

which the tree-leg or other suitable block, as well known, is inserted and fixed within the boot or shoe at the heel end of the foot, and the boot or shoe is ready to be treed. On completing the treeing of the boot or shoe the tree-leg is removed and then the foot by drawing its body in a direction toward the heel end of the foot is released both in its body and sole from the boot or shoe, the latter by a narrowing of its width, all as has been de scribed, and in the end securing the full with drawal of the foot from the boot or shoe and with the result before stated. 'The plate 5 can be fixed on the body 3 and be provided with two slots for the travel of the pivot-pins of the sole-sections therealong.

plainly is in two parts-upper and under and the parts are independently movable lengthwise on each other, and the under movable laterally as to the upper, the whole securing in the lengthwise movement of the parts in a direction toward the toe of the foot a widening and in the other direction and away from the toe of the foot a narrowing of the under part.

Previous to this invention it is true that tree-feet have been made in upper and under parts having their line of division along a plane between the sole-face and the instep portion and otherwise, as herein stated, of the foot of this invention; but the parts were in no manner or way adapted for a lateral movement of the under part to widen and narrow it in comparison with the width of the foot at its said plane of division. For an example of this kind of tree-foot reference is made to Letters Patent of the United States, No. 299,971, dated June 10, 1884. And again, it is true that the lasts for lasting boots or shoes for various purposes, but not for treeing purposes, have had their foot portions divided into upper and under parts and the under part vertically into separate side sections and a heel portion vertically separated from their foot portion, and said heel portion and said upper and under parts of the foot portion severally provided with means so that by a movement of the heel portion toward and away from the foot portion the side sections of the under part of the foot portion would be moved laterally on the upper part thereof; but said lasts are incapable, without material, essential, and substantial changes of construction and arrangement, of being used as tree-feet for treeing boots or shoes in the manner and with the results aimed at and secured by the tree-foot of this invention. As examples of these lasts, reference is had to Letters Patent of the United States, No. 148,998, dated March 24, 1874, and to English Letters Patent No. 5,376, of A. D. 1883.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A boot or shoe tree foot divided from its toe to its heel end along a planelying between the face of its sole and its instep into an upper or body part and an under or sole part and vertically from the sole-face to said plane, in combination with means carried by and relatively constructed and arranged for said upper and under parts to be independently longitudinally movable on each other and the under part to be laterally movable on the upper part, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

2. A boot or shoe tree foot divided from its toe to its heel end alongaplane lying between the face of its sole and its instep into an upper or body part and an under or sole part and vertically from the sole-face to said plane into two sections, one on each side of the foot, in combination with a plate held and lengthwise movable on the upper part and the upper part lengthwise movable on it, a pivotal connection of each of said sections of the under part with said plate, a plate having two converging slots and pins, one for each of said slots, and said slot-ted plate and pins relatively held on the upper part and said side sections of the under part to cause said side sections to move laterally as either of them is moved longitudinally on the upper part or the upper part is moved longitudinally on them, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

J O'll-IAM H. BURBANK.

\Vitnesses:

AURORA E. BURBANK, LOVINIA J. BURBANK.

It is hereby certified that the name of the administratrix in Letters Patent No,

440,788, granted November 18, 1890, upon the application of Jotham H. Burbank, of North Brookfield, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Boot-Trees, was erroneously written and printed Lovinia J. Eurbank, that said name should. have been written and printed Lavina J. Burbank and that said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the A Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 23d day of December, A. D. 1890.

CYRUS BUSSEY, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL] Countersigned O. E. MITCHELL,

Cowmzissioner of Batents. 

